Apparatus for storage and utilization of volatile liquids



y 1945- J. J. SHANL EY 2,376,628

APPARATUS FOR STORAGE AND UTILIZATION OF VOLATILE LIQUIDS FIG. 3.

INVENTOR J. J SHANLEY FIG L BY gg I ja/WU' 7MZ'TORNEY May 22, 1945.

J..J. SHANLEY} 2,376,623

APPARATUS FOR STORAGE AND UTILIZATION OF VOLATILE LIQUIDS 2 sheets-Sheet 2 'Fil ed Feb. 10, 1941 F/GE INVENTOR YJ.J.SHANLEY' Y Patented May 22, 1945 V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE APPARATUS FOR, STORAGE AND UTILIZA- TION OF VOLATILE LIQUIDS James J. Shanley, Bartlesville, Okla, assignor to Phillips Petroleum Company, a corporatlon of Delaware Application February 10, 1941, Serial No. 378,306

6 Claims.

appliances, it is customary to provide the customer with one or more containers for storage of the liquefied gas and means for establishing connection between the containers and a service line through a suitable arrangement of valves and pressure regulators. Those installations, in which a single container is used, usually comprise a large container which is refilled from-a tank truck by a service man. Two types of systems employing a plurality of containers are widely used; one, the two-drum system and .the other, the self-service system. In the two-drum system the customer is provided with two cylinders, each containing a quantity of liquefied gas sufficient to last the customer for a considerable period of time. One of the cylinders is used as an active source of gas supply while the other cylinder is held in reserve until the first cylinder is exhausted. When one cylinder is emptied, a change-over of withdrawal connections is made and the reserve cylinder placed into service. During the time this second cylinder is in service, supplying gas, the empty cylinder is replaced with a filled cylinder. Due to the size and weight of the cylinders, and the necessity of skill and care in installing them properly, they are serviced and handled by service men. The self-service system which has been developed, operates on the same principles as the two-drum system. The'customer is provided with two or more containers which he replaces with filled containers when they become emptied. The self-service system, however,

employs small containers which the customer can easily handle, and the valves, connections, etc., are so improved and simplified that even the inexperienced may make the connections and adjustments necessary to place the containers in operative position. The customer buys the liquefied gas in a suitable container from his dealer, transports it to the place of service, uses the gas formed by vaporization of the liquefied gas, and returns the empty containers to the dealer.

The disadvantages of the system employing a single container and of those of the two-drum type are that they require the attention of a service manto' deliver the liquefied gas to the place of use and put it in position for use by the customer. They also require the attention of a skilled service man occasionally for repairs and adjustments, especially of the valves. The selfservice system requires very little attention other than that which the customer must give it to in- 5 sure an unfailing gas supply. The valves which are most subject to wear and deterioration are attached to the self-service container and may. be'

examined and tested by the dealer each time the container is returned to him for refilling. his

evident that the self-service system is economiother two systems. However, the self-service system has one disadvantage in common with the two-drum system, i. e., the connection between the container and the customers service pipe involves the use of a flexible coupling which is subject to deterioration and which may become hazardous if not given sufiicient and proper attention.

An object of this invention is to provide an improved system for storage and utilization of volatile liquids and liquefied gases.

Another object of this invention is to provide such a system which is especially applicable to self-service,

A further object of this invention is to provide a system which will require little or no attention other than to replenish the supply of liquefied gas Figure 1 is an elevation of the apparatus of this invention.

Figure 2 is'a vertical cross section of the system of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a vertical cross section of a modification of the present invention.

do With reference to Figure 1 of the drawings, the

reference numeral Y Ill designates a container for the liquefied gas. This container remains on the customers premises except when being repaired or tested. The container Ill is connected to the gas-consuming appliances by the customers servwith cylinder ill by the force of gravity or may I be held in position by any suitable connector or clamping device.

Figure 2 is a vertical section of the system of Figure 1 in which the contents of the containers are dispensed as a liquid. The liquid feed or flash vaporization method of dispensing liquefied gas is asmoas well known in the art. Into the tap plug is of e the containerllis screwed an adapter ii. A connector I6 is screw-threaded into the tap plug of the cylinder in and normally remains attached thereto. The connector It includes a push pin 11 positioned and movably retained therein by guides l8. The push pin l1 rests on the cylinder valve l9 which remains closed except when the cylinder I3 is connected as shown in the drawing. Gaskets 20, positioned on the internal wall of adapter i5, make sealing connection with the exterior walls of connector it to give a dash pot eflect when making connection between cylinder is and cylinder Ill. The upper end of connector it makes sealing engagement with the conventional cylinder gasket 2i in the tap plug of cylinder l3. When connection is established between the two cylinders in this manner, the push pin l'l opens the valve IS in cylinder Ill and the valve 22 in cylinder l3. The'numeral 24 designates a safety relief valve which prevents damage to the cylinder Hi from excessive pressure developed therein. Other known safety devices may be incorporated in either or both containers and form no part of the present invention.

In operation the liquid from the cylinder l3 flows through the connector it into the cylinder ill as required. When the cylinder I3 is empty the customer lifts the cylinder l3 ofl connector l6 thereby allowing both cylinder valves to close. The customer then unscrews the adapter, which he retains, returns the depleted cylinder to the dealer and obtains a full one. The adapter i is screwed into the tap plug of the full cylinder. The cylinder is then inverted and placed in position on the connector It as shown in the drawings. During the interim, while the cylinder i3 is being replaced, liquefied gas is withdrawn from the cylinder l0 through the pipe ll as needed to supply the customers gas-consuming appliances. In most instances the quantity of liquefied gas used during that interval will be sufllcient to lower the liquid level in the cylinder l0. When the full cylinder is connected, liquefied gas will either run by gravity or, if cylinder is isunder greater pressure than cylinder Ill, be forced into cylinder l0 through connector l6. Cylinder ill will be maintained full of liquid as long as there is liquid in the cylinder l3. Any liquid remaining in the cylinder I3 around the tap plug is will vaporize and, when empty, the cylinder i3 will be filled only with gas under pressure. The customer may determine whether or not the container i3 is empty by tapping it or by disconnecting the cylinder and weighing or shaking it. Alternatively, the liquid level in the cylinder It! may be 'determined and when this cylinder is not full, cylinder l3 must be empty.

filling with liquid and flooding over into the service ipe ii, positive means are provided for limiting the liquid level in the container. The float 26 is attached to a vertical float rod 21, which extends upward through the tap plug 22 to a point adjacent the external surface of the tap plug as shown in Figure 3. The float rod 21 passes through a sealing diaphragm "which is sufllciently flexible to allow movement-of the float and float rod. In addition to the regular cylinder valve 29 in the filler opening of the ta plug 23.

a second similar valve 30 is provided in the same eway. The valve is actuated into open through the medium of the lever arm 2| maintains the valve 20 in an open position allowing liquid from the container ii to flow into container ID as described in detail in connection with Figure 2. When sufiicient liquid has entered the container ill to cause the float 26 to rise to the position corresponding to the maximum liquid level in the container i3, the projection 24 on the float rod engages the spring pressed end oi lever arm 3|, compresses the spring 33, and allows the valve 20 to close. The valve 30 normally remains in closed position unless actuated to open position by some external force. The rise of the float 26 and float rod 21 causes the upper end 35 of the float rod to project above the external surface of the tap plug and come into view.

The operation of the system of Figure 3 is generally the same as that of the system of Figure 2 except that a vapor space is maintained in cylinder III by operation of the valve 30 in conjunction with the float 26, This assures withdrawal invention to supply the container of Figure 2 with a float control arrangement similar to that of Figure 3 to prevent over-filling of the container operated under the liquid feed method of dispensing liquefied gas. As long as the indicator 35, the upper end of the float rod, remains in view, the upper cylinder l3 still contains liquid. When the indicator 35 is not in view, indicating that the liquid level in the container I0 is somewhere below the maximum, the cylinder i3 is empty. Upon observing that the indicator 35 has disappeared from view, the customer replaces the empty top cylinder with a filled one following the procedure described in the foregoing description relative to Figure 2.

Figure 3 is a vertical section of a modification The present invention. provides a simple, safe, and efllcient means of converting existing singlecontainer or two-drum-system installations into the more economical self-service system, In addition, the disadvantage of the present salt-service' systems, i. e., the use of flexible couplings, is eliminated by the novel method by which connection is made between the self-service container and the customer's service pipe. The float control described and illustrated in Figure 3 may be eliminated in those installations in which the size of the permanent container, container II, is greater than that of the portable or self-srvice container. This is especially true infthosefln stances in which an existing installation is con verted to the system of this invention. Due to the large size of these containers, the self-service cylinder may be emptied into the stationary container without over-filling the stationary container. The customer may determine by gauging or any suitable means when it is necessary to add the contents of a self-service container to the permanent container to maintain uninterrupted service.

It is to be understood that the form of this invention, herewith shown and described, is to be taken as a, preferred example of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size, and arrangements of parts, may be resorted to, without departing from the spirit of the invention, or the scope of the subjoined claims.

I claim:

1. A system for storing and utilizing liquefied gas comprising a stationary container for the gas, a service line having one end in communication with the stationary container for delivery of fluid to consuming appliances, a portable container for the liquefied gas, means for establishing communication between the stationary container and the portable container, and means responsive to withdrawal of fluid through the service line for controlling the flow of liquefied gas from the portable container to the stationary container.

2. A system for storing and utilizing liquefied gas comprising a stationary container for the gas, a service lin having one end in communication with the stationary container for delivery of fluid to consuming appliances, a portable container for the liquefied gas, means for supporting the portable container and establishing communication between the stationary container and the portable container, and means responsive to the liquid level in the stationary container for controlling the flow of liquefied gas from the portable container to the stationary container.

3. A system for storing and utilizing liquefied gas comprising a stationary container for the gas, a service line having one end in communication with the stationary container fol-delivery o! fluid to consuming appliances, 9, valved inlet in the stationary containaer, aportable container for stationary container.

4. A system for storing and dispensing liquefied gas comprising a first container for the liquefied gas, a service line having one end in communication with the first container for dispensing the gas, a second container for the liquefied gas, a valve controlled conduit in each container having a valve adapted to open by pressure thereon in the direction of its respective container, a con- 6. In the combination of claim 4, a normally open second valve in the conduit of the container in communication with the service line, and means including a float for closing said normally open valve to cut off communication between the two containers when the liquid level in the container in communication with the service line reaches a predetermined height. a

JAMES J. SHANLEY. 

